Episode 1843 (4 October 1999)
Synopsis Sonia's all dressed up to go to school because Enrico's there, and Carol says she looks lovely. She lies in wait until Enrico leaves Pauline's and pretends not to see him until he asks her if she'd like to walk to school together. Nicky and Kim go to a model try-out, and Enrico tells Sonia that beauty is only skin deep and they carry on chatting, and discover a shared love for jazz and playing the trumpet. Nicky is envious and tries to attract Enrico's attention. It's trial time, and Troy and Irene wish Sarah and Terry good luck in court. Matthew's nervous and his barrister tells him it's not too late to do the deal with the CPS. Matthew tells him to chase up the forensics on the jacket instead. Peggy goes with Michael, and Terry wants to cadge a lift but Sarah refuses. Jeff tells Pauline he hopes the lawyers don't upset Mel, because she was no angel in the past - she's done the lot - under age drinking, shoplifting, she was expelled from college, in trouble with her business, went bust and left all her creditors high and dry, and lost a lot of money. Pauline makes mental notes and rushes off to tell Kathy everything. Lisa moans to Jamie about Kathy - he reassures her that Phil wants to see Ben, not Kathy, and she's awful: he's had her nagging all morning, and Lisa has nothing to worry about, she's far better than Kathy, after all, Kathy is the woman who gave life to Ian Beale. Lisa smiles at last. Barry desperately phones every hotel in the phone book to find somewhere to get married. He tries everything in the phone book, and gets to the Walford Roof Gardens before he finds a space. He's resigned by that point and then asks why they're not fully booked! He and Nat go to see it later, and then discover that Ian's wedding is the same day, and decide to rush the invites out to nab the guests first. Billy phones Grant who has gone to buy his snooker hall. He later finds Grant and tells him he is in big trouble, as the payments required have doubled. Ian warns Mel to take care in court because Steve's barrister will try to twist everything she says. Gianni reiterates the warning to watch out for his barrister, and he and Mel go to sit in the waiting room before giving evidence. Mel leaves and Gianni says he hopes she doesn't still have feelings for Steve. The first indictment is that they conspired to pervert the course of justice by concealing the body. They both plead guilty, and are told the sentencing will be after the murder verdict. Mel gives Steve a good report, calling him charming and that their relationship was working very well until Saskia turned up, and she says he was never violent or at all nasty to her, even when angry with Saskia. She said that Steve told her calmly after Valentine's day that Saskia had "gone for good". The trial is stopped after that for the forensic results. Matthew's barrister says it doesn't prove Steve did anything. Matthew panics and asks to do the deal now instead so he goes off to see the prosecutor. Steve's barrister, who is clearly more astute and far more experienced than Matthew's (although admittedly he has a far better subject to work with) tells Steve to try not to look TOO pleased when he goes back into court! Jackie comes to see him and he says "The forensic report's come back on his jacket and there was nothing on it." Jackie says "Yea?" Steve adds, "Well, that's all the evidence they had, they're never going to convict me now." Jackie frowns and has obviously been watching too many TV detective programmes, because she picks up on this little detail, and says "But how could they convict you - if you didn't do it, what evidence could they find?" Steve replies "Can't you just be pleased, I'm in the clear." Jackie says "You said it again - in the clear - you're lying to me." Steve says "Look, sis...", and she says "Now you're calling me that I KNOW you're lying to me, you did it, didn't you? You killed her." Matthew's barrister tells Matthew the CPS don't want to know. Matthew says that's it, it's over. He's told to pull himself together. Peggy gives evidence that Saskia was drunk and loudly whingeing about men being swines. Peggy says she was sad and pathetic and the lawyer asks if she'd find it hard to believe that she could have half-strangled a man twice her size. Peggy "Yes, I'd find that hard to believe, but it would be even harder to believe Matthew would do anything to harm anyone, as he's a really nice boy." She's told to shut up. Sarah gives evidence and agrees with the prosecution that Matthew trying to push Saskia away from the office at E20 was the action of a man who has lost his temper and resorted to violence. Matthew's defence lawyer asks her if he could also have been being "firm". Sarah agrees with him too. She says Matthew is kind and thoughtful, and Steve scribbles a note to his lawyer who cross-questions her and asks if Matthew got engaged to her one night just so they'd have sex and then he broke it off the morning after. Sarah says yes he did. In fact Sarah is an entirely hopeless and pathetic witness, and agrees with everything that anyone in a wig says to her. The first day is over and as Steve and Matt are led away Matthew shouts that Steve has to tell the truth, how can he stand there and let him take the blame? Credits Main cast *Sonia Jackson - Natalie Cassidy *Carol Jackson - Lindsey Coulson *Steve Owen - Martin Kemp *Matthew Rose - Joe Absolom *Sarah Hills - Daniela Denby-Ashe *Peggy Butcher - Barbara Windsor *Nicky di Marco - Carly Hillman *Jeff Healy - Leslie Schofield *Pauline Fowler - Wendy Richard *Terry Raymond - Gavin Richards *Irene Raymond - Roberta Taylor *Lisa Shaw - Lucy Benjamin *Jamie Mitchell - Jack Ryder *Kathy Mitchell - Gillian Taylforth *Barry Evans - Shaun Williamson *Natalie Price - Lucy Speed *Billy Mitchell - Perry Fenwick *Grant Mitchell - Ross Kemp *Melanie Healy - Tamzin Outhwaite *Gianni di Marco - Marc Bannerman *Ian Beale - Adam Woodyatt *Jackie Owen - Race Davies Guest cast * Troy Harvey - Jamie Jarvis * Enrico - Francois Pandolfo Category:Episode Category:1999 Episodes